Normally-closed explosive-actuated valve



y 12, 1966 H. F. ECKARDT 3,260,272

NORMALLYCLOSED EXPLOS IVE-ACTUATED VALVE Filed July 15, 1962 /5 Q INVENTOR.

29 AMA/f A 56/(4207 34 ATTOZ/VE) United States Patent 3,260,272 NORMALLY-CLOSED EXPLOSIVE-ACTUATED VALVE Hans F. Eckardt, 18161 Allegheny Drive, Santa Ana, Calif.

Filed July 13, 1962, Ser. No. 209,734 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-68) This invention relates to an explosive-actuated valve of the normally-closed type.

An object of the invention is to provide an explosive- -actuated valve in which the force required to shift the ram is independent of fluid pressures in. the system, so that the same squib or explosive propellant may be employed for numerous types of systems.

Another object is to provide an explosive-actuated valve in which the inlet and outlet are, interchangeable, and in which identical machined parts may be employed as the inlet and outlet components of the valve.

Another object is to provide an explosive-actuated valve which is completely leakproof, despite the presence of relatively large back pressures in the system in which the valve is employed.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following specification and claims, considered in connection with the attached drawing to which they relate.

in the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view illust-rating, in normal condition prior to actuation, an explosive-operated valve constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding generally to FIG- URE 1 but illustrating the valve in actuated position.

Stated generally, the explosive-actuated valve comprises an elongated hollow body 10, an elongated ram 11 mounted coaxially in body for longitudinal movement therein, and first and second opposed nipple elements 12 and 13 mounted transversely in body 10 and having end portions adapted to be sheared off upon movement of the ram longitudinally of the body from the position shown in FIGURE 1 to that shown in FIGURE 3. Means are provided in the ram to create a straight-through flow path for the controlled fluid in response to shearing of the nipple elements 12 and 13 subsequent to igniting of the explosive actuator or squib which is indicated at 14.

Stated in detail, the body 10 is formed with first and second coaxial cylindrical bores 16 and 17, the latter being substantially larger in diameter than the former.

Such bores are connected by means of a coaxial frustoconical portion 18 which serves as an energy-absorbing stop means for a cooperating tapered portion 19 of the ram 11. A positive stop surface 17a is provided at the inner end of bore 17, for engagement by radial ram surface 21a to stop the ram in the position shown in FIGURE 3.

The ram 11 comprises, in addition to the tapered or frustoconical portion 19, a cylindrical portion 21 which is disposed in bore 17 adjacent squib 14. Portion 21 is provided with an O-ring seal adapted to prevent leakage of controlled fluid or explosion products subsequent to ignition of the squib. The ram further comprises a planar section 23 having opposed flat parallel surfaces 24 and 25, such surfaces being perpendicular to the common axis of the nipple elements 12 and 13. Formed perpendicularly through the planar section 23 is a cylindrical bore or passage 26 which is adapted to register with the passages in nipple elements 12 and 13 when the valve is in the actuated condition shown in FIGURE 3, thereby providing a straight-through flow path for the controlled Patented July 12, 1966 fluid. Rain 11 additionally comprises a cylindrical end portion 27 disposed remote from the squib 14 and adapted to slide freely in the smaller-diameter bore 16.

The nipple elements 12 and 13 may comprise identically-machined parts which are threaded or otherwise suitably inserted, in sealing manner, into the body 10 perpendicularly to the planar section 23 of the ram. In the illustrated embodiment, each nipple element 12 and 13 has a radial stop-shoulder or flange 28 (preferably shaped as a hexagon, to serve as a wrench hold) adapted to engage the outer surface of body 10- to limit the degree of penetration of the inner portions of the nipple elements. Suitable O-ring or other seals 29 are providedadjacent flanges 28 to prevent leakage of fluid from body 10 after actuation of the valve to the open position shown in FIGURE 3.

Each nipple element has aninner tubular portion 31 which extends radially into the small bore 16 and contacts one of the flat surfaces 24 and 25. Furthermore, each nipple element has a relatively small-diameter end or head portion 32 which fits into a corresponding recess 33 in the planar section 23 of the ram. Each such recess 33 has a cylindrical wall which is coaxial with the wall of the bore (numbered 34) in the cooperating nipple element 12 or 13, having only a slightly larger diameter than that of the bore 34; It follows that the inner end of each nipple element is formed with a thin or stress-riser section 36 disposed in the same plane as the cooperating flat surface 24 or 25 of the ram. The extreme inner end wall of each nipple element is relatively thick, the thickness being substantially equal to the depth of recess 33 in order that the stress-riser section 36 will be properly defined and located.-

The explosive actuator or squib 14 may be of conventional construction, being sealingly mounted in the end of body 10 adjacent the cylindrical end 21 of the ram. Such squib may be ignited by any suitable means, for example remote-operated electrical means, in conventional manner.

Operation The valve is readily assembled by inserting the ram element 11 to the position shown in FIGURE 1, threading the squib element 14 into position, and threading the opposed nipple elements 12 and 13 into the illustrated positions such that the extreme inner ends 32 thereof are seated in the opposed recesses 33 in the planar section 23 of ram 11. The nipple elements 12 and 13 are then connected into a fluid line, it being immaterial which nipple is connected on the upstream side and which on the downstream side. Furthermore, it is completely immaterial what back pressure is present in the system since there is no leakage of fluid into the bore 16, the bore 17 or the frustoconical section 18. This means that when the squib 14 is ignited the ram will not be forced to overcome any fluid back pressure upon shifting from normal position (FIGURE 1) to actuated position (FIG URE 3).

The above is a very important feature since it is to be understood that the back pressures present in normal explosively-actuated valves cause leakage into the bores therein, resulting in fluid opposition to movement of the ram. In prior-art systems, the squib 14 was necessarily designed to create energy sufficiently high to overcome these back pressures, yet sufliciently low that no damage to the valve, or rebound of the ram, would result. No such special designs are required when the present invention is employed.

Upon ignition of squib 14, the ram is shifted to the position shown in FIGURE 3, coming to rest in such position (with surface 21a engaged with shoulder 17a) due to the wedging action created between the tapered section 19 of the ram and the tapered section 18 of the bore or opening in body It), the action being similar to that in a Morse taper. The ram does not rotate about its axis the surfaces 24 and 25 ride between the ends of tubular portions 31. The bore or opening 26 is thus precisely registered with the bores 34 in the nipple elements 12 and 13, so that a straight-through flow passage is provided. Leakage of fluid from the bores 34 into the valve then becomes immaterial, since leakage of fluid from body 10 is prevented by O-rings 22 and 29.

, It is emphasized that the shifting of ram 11, in response to ignition of squib 14, is much faster than the leakage of fluid from either nipple bore 34 intothe bores 16 and 1'7. Thus, the ram is 'fully seated in its actuated position before the bores 16 and 17 become charged with fluid. Accordingly,as previously indicated, there is substantially no back pressure resisting shifting of the ram.

Various embodiments of the present invention, in addition to what has been illustrated and described in detail, may be employed without departing from the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A normally-closed explosive-actuated valve, which comprises an elongated valve body having a straight elongated valve chamber formed longitudinally therein,

the wall of said chamber being a surface of revolution about a central axis,

an elongated ram mounted longitudinally in said chamber for longitudinal movement therein,

said ram having at least one end portion thereof a surface region is slidalbly and rotatably associated with said wall of said chamber, said ram being shaped at an intermediate portion thereof with at least one planar surface which 1 is parallel to the axis of said chamber and is spaced away from said wall of said chamber, first and second elongated nipple elements fixedly mounted in said valve body on diametrically opposite sides of said chamber,

said nipple elements having frangible blind inner ends extending transversely of said planar surface into recess means in said intermediate ram portion,

said frangible blind inner ends being adapted to be sheared off in response to shifting of said ram from normal position to actuated position, at least one of said nipple elements having an outer portion adapted subsequent to shearingtotff of said blind inner ends to engage said planar surface and thereby prevent rotation of said ram about the longitudinal axis thereof, squib means communicating with said chamber and adapted when fired to shift said ram longitudinally of said chamber from normal position to actuated position, means to stop said ram at a predetermined actuated position and to prevent shifting of said ram away from said predetermined actuated position, and port means formed in said intermediate ram portion in spaced relation from said recess means,

said port means being so located in relation to said stop means that said port means is registered with the outer portions of said nipple elements when said ram is in actuated position, whereby a straight-through flow passage is formed through said outer portions of said nipple elements and through said port means when said ram is in actuated position.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said recess means comprises first and second recesses formed, respectively, at separate parallel planar surfaces on opposite sides of said intermediate portion of said ram and in which said blind inner ends are closely received. 3. A normally-closed explosive-actuated valve, comprising an elongated hollow valve body having a closed end and an open end,

the valve chamber defined by said body having a relatively small-diameter cylindrical wall adjacent said closed end and a relatively large-diameter cylindrical wall adjacent said open end, said large-diameter and small-diameter walls being axially spaced from each other and being connected by a frustoconical wall, an elongated ram mounted taxially of said valve body for longitudinal movement therein, positive stop means provided in said valve body to stop movement of said ram at a predetermined point relatively adjacent said closed end,

said ram having a tapered portion corresponding generally to said frustoconical wall of said valve body and disposed to come into forceful engagement therewith prior to engagement of said ram with said positive stop means, said ram also having an inner portion disposed radially-inwardly of said small-diameter cylindrical wall,

said inner portion of said ram being provided with substantially flat opposed surfaces lying in planes parallel to the axis of said ram and relatively adjacent thereto, said inner portion of said ram having opposed cylindrical recesses formed therein relatively adjacent the extreme inner end of said ram, said inner portion of said ram also having a cylindrical port formed therethrough parallel to said recesses and disposed more remote than said recesses from said extreme inner end of said ram, the axes of said recesses and port being perpendicular to said fiat surfaces, first and second nipple elements mounted radially on said valve body at said small-diameter cylindrical wall and having frangible blind inner ends extending into said recesses,

said nipple elements also having shoulders respectively adapted to be engaged by said flat ram surfaces to prevent rotation of said ram upon longitudinal shifting thereof, said port in said ram being so related to said positive stop means that said port will be disposed coaxially with said nipple elements when said :ram is engaged with said positive stop means to thereby create a straight-through flow passage thnough the valve, and a squib mounted in said open end of said valve body and adapted to be ignited to elfect explosive propulsion of said ram inwardly until said ram engages said positive stop means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,659,335 2/1928 Smyser 13768 X 2,365,364 12/1944 Temple 13768 2,937,654 5/1960 Wilner 13768 2,997,051 8/1961 Williams 137-68 3,111,133 11/1963 Fulton et al. 13768 ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner.

I. DEATON, R. GERARD, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A NORMALLY-CLOSED EXPLOSIVE-ACTUATED VALVE, WHICH COMPRISES AN ELONGATED VALVE BODY HAVING A STRAIGHT ELONGATED VALVE CHAMBER FORMED LONGITUDINALLY THEREIN, THE VALVE OF SAID CHAMBER BEING A SURFACE OF REVOLUTION ABOUT A CENTRAL AXIS, AN ELONGATED RAM MOUNTED LONGITUDINAL IN SAID CHAMBER FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREIN, SAID RAM HAVING AT LEAST ONE END PORTION THEREOF A SURFACE REGION WHICH IS SLIDABLY AND ROTATABLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID WALL OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID RAM BEING SHAPED AT AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION THEREOF WITH AT LEAST ONE PLANAR SURFACE WHICH IS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID CHAMBER AND IS SPACED AWAY FROM SAID WALL OF SAID CHAMBER, FIRST AND SECOND ELONGATED NIPPLE ELEMENTS FIXEDLY MOUNTED IN SAID VALVE BODY ON DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID NIPPLE ELEMENTS HAVING FRANGIBLE BLIND INNER ENDS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PLANAR SURFACE INTO RECESS MEANS IN SAID INTERMEDIATE RAM PORTION, SAID FRANGIBLE BLIND INNER ENDS BEING ADAPTED TO BE SHEARED OFF IN RESPONSE TO SHIFTING OF SAID RAM FROM NORMAL POSITION TO ACTUATED POSITION, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID NIPPLE ELEMENTS HAVING AN OUTER PORTION ADAPTED SUBSEQUENT TO SHEARINGOFF OF SAID BLIND INNER ENDS TO ENGAGE SAID PLANAR SURFACE AND THEREBY PREVENT ROTATION OF SAID RAM ABOUT LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF, SQUIB MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER AND ADAPTED WHEN FIRED TO SHIFT SAID RAM LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID CHAMBER FROM NORMAL POSITION ACTUATED POSITION, MEANS TO STOP SAID RAM AT A PREDETERMINED ACTUATED POSITION AND TO PREVENT SHIFTING OF SAID RAM AWAY FROM SAID PREDETERMINED ACTUATED POSITION, AND PORT MEANS FORMED IN SAID INTERMEDIATE RAM PORTION IN SPACED RELATION FROM SAID RECESS MEANS, SAID PORT MEANS BEING SO LOCATED IN RELATION TO SAID STOP MEANS THAT SAID PORT MEANS IS REGISTERED WITH THE OUTER PORTIONS OF SAID NIPPLE ELEMENTS WHEN SAID RAM IS IN ACTUATED POSITION, WHEREBY A STRAIGHT-THROUGH FLOW PASSAGE IS FORMED THROUGH SAID OUTER PORTIONS OF SAID NIPPLE ELEMENTS AND THROUGH SAID PORT MEANS WHEN SAID RAM IS IN ACTUATED POSITION. 